The present invention relates generally to several methods and apparatus for delivering products to consumers and more particularly relates to several methods and apparatus to deliver vended products to consumers via remote and mobile techniques.
The use of vending machines and other types of product dispensers is well known in the art. Product sales volume from such product dispensers often depends in part on placing the dispenser in a location with sufficient consumer traffic. Because the use of the product dispenser is often an impulse purchase, the dispenser preferably should be located wherever a sufficient number of consumers may gather or pass by.
One drawback with the use of many current product dispensers is that the dispensers may not always be placed where the consumers may be gathered. There are many locations where product dispensers simply are not available. This lack of availability may be due to the size of the dispenser, the expense of the dispenser, the availability of electrical power, or even aesthetic reasons. Further, moving the dispensers on a temporary basis is often difficult, expensive, and/or time consuming.
In addition to the location of the dispensers, the appearance and operation of the dispensers should be designed to catch the consumer""s eye and ensure that the consumer has a pleasant purchasing experience. Even if the dispensers can be located in a high traffic area, the purchasing experience is rarely considered to be xe2x80x9cfunxe2x80x9d because of the ubiquity of the dispensers. As such, the product dispensers are considered simply a means to provide the products therein to the consumer as opposed to an attraction in and of itself.
What is needed, therefore, are methods and apparatus that ensure that the product dispensers easily may be located wherever the consumers are gathered. Further, there is need for product dispensers that create impulse purchases by being unique, entertaining, and/or interesting. These goals must be accomplished with methods and apparatus that are convenient, safe, and reasonably priced.
The present invention thus provides a mobile vending machine for transporting and vending a number of products. The mobile vending machine includes a storage compartment for storing the products, a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the products, and a drive mechanism. The storage compartment is positioned about the drive mechanism for movement therewith.
Specific embodiments of the mobile vendor include the storage compartment having a number of storage rows. Each of the storage rows may include a wall and a floor. The floor may include an elevator port for use with the dispensing mechanism. The elevator port may include a number of apertures surrounding a support flange. Each of the storage rows may include a collar for rotation within the wall and the floor. The collar may include a number of partitions therein and the partitions may form a number of product compartments. A collar motor may rotate the collar.
The dispensing mechanism may include an access port for dispensing one of the products at a time. The dispensing mechanism also may include an elevator so as to transport one of the products from the storage compartment to the access port. The elevator may include a pair of elevator arms. The pair of elevator arms may be positioned so as to pass through the apertures of the elevator port.
The drive mechanism may include a number of wheels. A drive motor may power the wheels. The drive mechanism may include a battery.
The mobile vendor also may include an internal control device for controlling the storage compartment, the dispensing mechanism, and the drive mechanism. A remote control device may be in communication with the internal control device. The remote control device may control the drive mechanism, the storage compartment, and the dispensing mechanism. The mobile vendor further may include a first speaker and a first microphone while the remote control device may include a second speaker and a second microphone in communication with one another. The storage compartment may include an outer shell with advertising indicia thereon.
A further embodiment of the present invention may provide for a remote vending system for vending a number of products. The remote vending system may include a product storage compartment, a product delivery mechanism, and a product drop mechanism, all positioned along a predetermined path. The remote vending systems may further include a control device so as to instruct the product storage device to deliver one of the products to the product delivery mechanism and to instruct the product delivery mechanism to deliver the product to the product drop mechanism.
The product storage compartment may include a vending machine. The product delivery mechanism may include a vertical conveyor positioned adjacent to the product storage compartment. The vertical conveyor may include a platform for transporting one of the products. The vertical conveyor may include a pulley system for driving the platform. The product delivery mechanism also may include a horizontal conveyor. The horizontal conveyor may include a first end and a second end such that the first end is positioned adjacent to the vertical conveyor and the second end is positioned adjacent to the product drop mechanism. The horizontal conveyor may include an inclined position, such that the first end of the horizontal conveyor is higher than the second end so that the products can slide from the first end to the second end. The inclined position may be about five (5) to ten (10) degrees. The horizontal conveyor also may include a transport device positioned therein so as to transport one of the products from the first end to the second end.
The product delivery mechanism may include a further horizontal conveyor positioned adjacent to the second end of the horizontal conveyor. The product delivery mechanism also may include a directional switch. The directional switch may be positioned adjacent to the second end of the horizontal conveyor, the further horizontal conveyor, and the product drop mechanism so as to direct one of the products from the horizontal conveyor to the further horizontal conveyor or to the product drop mechanism under the control of the control device. The directional switch may include a piston so as to push the horizontal conveyor in the direction of either the further horizontal conveyor or the product drop mechanism.
The product drop mechanism may include an elongated member with a first end and a second end and with the first end positioned adjacent to the product delivery mechanism. The product drop mechanism may include a pulley system associated with the elongated member so as to deliver one of the products from the first end to the second end. The product drop mechanism may include a product holder connected to the pulley system. The product holder may include a fixed fork assembly or a rotating fork assembly.
The rotating fork assembly may include a pair of forks positioned on an assembly base for rotation thereon. The pair of forks may include a spring so as to bias the pair of forks in the closed position. The forks are capable of supporting one of the products in the closed position and of releasing the product in the open position. The product drop mechanism may include a flipper mechanism positioned adjacent to the second end of the elongated member. The flipper mechanism may include a flipper. The flipper may be driven by a solenoid and the solenoid may be activated by a switch. The switch is positioned about the second end of the elongated member such that the product holder contacts the switch when the product holder descends the elongated member. The flipper is positioned about the second end of the elongated member such that the flipper contacts and causes the rotating fork assembly to rotate when the product holder descends the elongated member and the switch is activated.
The product drop mechanism may include a product dispenser positioned adjacent to the second end of the elongated member. The product dispenser may include a product platter positioned for rotation therein. The product platter also may include a number of product basins so as to support the products therein. The product platter may include a number of position switches in communication with the control system so as to determine whether one of the products is positioned in each of the product basins. The product dispenser may include a platter. The product dispenser may include a vending cone positioned on top of the product platter. The vending cone may include a transparent material. The vending cone may include a loading aperture such that the one of the products may be delivered through the loading aperture from the product drop mechanism to one of the product basins on the product platter.
A further embodiment of the present invention provides for a dispensing system for dispensing a number of products from a vending machine. The dispensing system may include an elevator and a storage row. The storage row may include a wall and a floor. The storage row also may include an elevator port for use with the elevator. The storage row further may include a collar for rotation within the wall and the floor. The collar may include a number of partitions therein. The partitions may form a number of product compartments for rotating the products along the floor to the elevator port for transport by the elevator.
The dispensing system may include a number of the storage rows. The elevator port may include a number of apertures and a product support flange. The elevator may include a pair of elevator arms. The elevator arms may be positioned to pass through the apertures of the elevator port and to pick up one of the products.
A product dispenser may be positioned adjacent to the storage row and in communication with the elevator. The product dispenser may include a product platter positioned for rotation therein. The product platter may include a number of apertures positioned therein. The apertures may each include a product support rotatably positioned therein. The product support may be sized to allow the elevator arms to pass through each aperture and to support one of the products. The product support may include a hinge attached to the product platter such that the product support will rotate upward when the elevator lifts one of the products through the aperture and then rotate downward after the product passes therethrough. The product dispenser may include a platter. The product dispenser may include a vending cone positioned on top of the product platter. The vending cone may include a transparent material. The dispensing system further may include an outer shell positioned around the storage row with one or more storage racks positioned thereon.
The method of the present invention provides for the delivery of a vended product. The method may include the steps of removing a first product from a product vending machine, sensing that the first product has been removed from the vending machine, activating a product storage facility to release a second product, elevating the second product along a first predetermined vertical path, transporting the second product along a predetermined substantially horizontal path, and lowering the second product along a second predetermined vertical path into the product vending machine.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.